Talking-machine.



J. W. AYLSWORTH.

TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. a, 1910.

1,062,579. Patented May 27, 1913.

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currar) srarns PATENT OFFICE.

JONAS W. AYLSWORTH, OF EAST'ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, T0 THOMAS A. EDISON, INCORPORATED, 0F WEST ORANGE, NEW

JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

TALKING-MACHIN E.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JONAS W. AYLswoR'rH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTalking-Machines, of which the following is a description.

e My invention relates to talking machines or phonographs, and my objectis to produce a talking .machineof the type Whicr operates upon disks orflat sound records, which will permit the use of exceedingly thinrecords and record blanks, which, because of their thinness` areflexible, light, and inexpensive in comparison with the common type ofcomparatively ,thick disk records `known to the art.l Exceedingly thin-records of the character specified are more particularly described andlclaimedin application Serial No. 541,764, filed by me on even dateherewith. Reproduction can be made from such records`on disk talkingmachines as known to the art with but most imperfect results, if at all,because such records have not suiicient backing in themselves for-thestylus to react against, and because also, when supported upon the usualturntable or record support, they will not lie sutliciently flat andeven upon the support to permit the stylus to properly track the sameand be fed thereby.

In my present invention, these difliculties are overcome in a simple andeffect-ive manner, whereby it is made possible to form records onexceedingly thin disks or other fiat surfaces and reproduce the recordsformed thereon. Accordingly, my invention comprises a table or supportfor an exceedingly thin flat record together with means for maintainingthe record firmly in uniform contact with the supporting surface. Therecord is so held. in contact with the supporting surface by meanscreating a uniform difference in pressure between the upper and lowersides of the record, the pressure upon the lowerl or under side of therecord being the less. y 1

More specifically, I provide a record support of porous material andexhaust the air from the pores of this material and beneath the undersurface of the record to hold the same upon the table by suction.

Attention is hereby -directed to thel accompanying drawings, formingpart of' this specification and illustrating a number 0f watys in whichmy invention may be carried ou vertical cross section t rough a t-ableand disk sound record supported thereby, together with means forcreating suction to hold the rcord upon the surface of the table andembodying one form of my invention. F ig. 2 represents a partial planview of the same. Fig. 3 represents a view similar to Fig. 1 of amodified' form of my invention. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 represent similar viewsof other modifications.

Referring to the drawings, the suction table is provided in all of themodifications with an outer annular solid or non-porous rim 1 designedto form a more or less air tight joint with the record disk 2 beyond theportion of the disk 2 bearing the sound record 3. A solid or non-porouscenter 4 is likewise provided, which is designed to form a relativelyair tight joint with the disk inside the record-bearing portion 3 andbetween the same and the central hole 5 of the disk. The table betweenthe outer rim porous material 6. This porous portion of the table isdesigned to form the bearing surface for that portion of the under sideof the disk opposite the record bearing sur- Pface thereof. ,It may beformed of any porous material from which the air may be exhausted,and'is preferably formed of a compact material as for example, plasterof Paris, porous cement or biscuit porcelain or unglazed earthenware.The upper surfaces of rings 1 and 4 and the porous portion 6 shouldbesmooth and hard in order thatl the exceedingly thin record 2 placedthereupon may be reproduced properly. Whenv the record is placed uponthe table, the air beneath the disk andl in the pores of the table isattenuated by suction, so that atmospheric pressure above the disk willhold the same firmly against the table, which will support the disk atso many points as to produce practically a solid portion for the same.

The desired suction maybe obtained in 1 and the inner portion luisformed of aQ face of the table comprising the upper sur` Specificationo/f Letters Patent. i PatentedfMay 27, 19.13. l

In the drawings; Fi re 1 represents a a number of ways. For example, asshown in Fig. 1, the outer non-porous ring 1 formed of any suitablematerial, has a horizontal disk 7 secured to or integral therewithextending below the reco'rd 2 and the porous lportion 6. This lowerdisk-shaped member 7 is secured to or integral with the central portion4 and also has secured to or integral with it a cylinder 8 closed at thebottom/'and coaxial with the central spindle 9 of the talking machinethrough which the rotary movement of the supporting table istransmitted. A plunger 10 is mounted to reciprocate vertically'withinthe cylinder 8, this plunger having a stem o-r reduced portion 11y-extendinor upwardly therefrom through the centnaperture of the disk 2,the stem being guided' by sleeve 12., A number of passages 13 extendthrough the p0rous portion 6 of the table and connect the same with theinterior of cylinder 8. Passages 13 are also connected to an annularspace 14 which is preferably provided between the periphery of theporous portion .6.- of the record support andithe non-porous vrlm 1.- Apassage 15 is provided between the interior of cylinder 8 and theatmosphere below t-he under surface of plunger 10. l When it is desiredto support a record as 2 upon the table for reproduction from therecord, the llatter is placed upon the table and plunger 10. is drawnupwardly by means of the knurled head 16 of stem 11 protrud- -ing abovethe record surface, this upward movement forcing most of the air outfrom under record 2. Plunger 10 is then pushed downwardly creating avacuum within chamber 8 above the plunger within the pores of porousmaterial 6 and within all the air passages below reco-rd 2 and betweenthe same and the non-porous disk 7 and cylinder 8. The record will nowbe held upon the table firmly by suction. Suitable means may be providedfor holding the plunger'lO in its lower position. A suitable means isshown in the drawings in which a small pawl 17 pivoted at 18 to thecentral portion 12 of ring 4 is adapted to be pressed into an annularnotch 19 formed around the periphery of stem 11 of plunger 10. Pawl 17maybe provided with a vertical upstanding lug 20 which may serve as afinger piece for pushing the pawl into its holding position. Stem 11 ofplunger 10 may also be provided with a circular notch 21 with which pawl17 may co-act to hold the plunger in its raised position. When therecord lis to be removed, the plunger is raised to its integralltherewith to. the table and record ,A bellows-like member 22 is mountedbelow disk 7 and surroundingthe central spindle 9 of the talkingmachine. This bellowslike member comprises a fiat rigid bottom plate 23which is closely mounted' upon spindle 9 to slide upon the same and/theexpandible bellows member 24 of any suitablefiexible and airtigl1t.1naterial which takes the form of an annulus, the outer pe'riphery of which is attached tothe outer solid rim 1 of the recordsupport, and the inner periphery of which is attached to the bottom ofplate 7 adjacent to the central po-rtionli of the table. Plate 7 isperforated as shown. In place of plunger 10 and stem 11, a stem 11having a knurled head 20 is provided, stem 11 being adapted to slidevertically within an axial hole formed in spindle 9 and' through thecenter opening of the disk 2. Spindle 11 is provided with arms 25`bearing upon the upper surface of plate 23 of .bellows 22 for forcingthe same downwardly when stem 11 is depressed. Spindle 9 is providedwith slotted guideways 26 in which arms 25move as stem 11 isreciprocated. Stem 11" may be provided with circular notches coact-ingwith a pawl,v as was described in connection with Fig. 1, for holdingthe stem in its upper and lower positions. When it is desired toreproduce a record, vthe member 22 may be telescoped, the record placedupon the turntable, and stem 11 then depressed to attenuate the airwithin theibellows member' 22 and create a suction through the pores oftable 6. l

In the modification shown in Fig. 4,- an

-elastic member 23 is provided and is attached to the" under side of thetable, its outer periphery being secured to the under surface of rim 1and its inner periphery to the central portion Ltof the table adjacentto the spindle 9 of the talking machine. This member 23 may be formed ofrubber or other suitable elastic material. It is maintained in its lowerposition by means of springs 27 which are connected at one end'to theunder side of plate 7 and at their lower ends to the plate 28 placedwithin flexible member 23. ,Member 23 may be pressed upwardly by thefingers against the lower surface of plate 7 when the record is placedupon the table and the finger pressure upon member 23 released,Iwhereupon or secured to rim 1. Plunger 10 has connected therewith rod112 which is ada ted to be connected to the motor of the tal 'ng machinein any desired way, plunger 10 thus constituting a continuously actingpump for exhausting the air continuously from beneath the record 2during the reroduction of the same. Plunger 10 may be provided with ansuitable valve means as 29 therethrough, t is valve opening when theplunger moves toward the record or toward the central spindle of themachine, and closing when it moves away from the record or the spindleto exhaust the air. The device shown in Fig. 6 is similar to that showninFig. 3, different merely in the means provided for reciprocatingmember 23, this means comprising a U-shaped member 30 which is attachedat its ends to plate 23 and extends upwardly through the central portion4 of the record support above which it may be grasped to compress andexpand the bellows member 22. Any desirable means may be used forholding the same in either upper or lower position. Also, the ring 31 isshown as placed upon the edge of sound record 2 to hold the latterfirmly upon its support while the suction is being created.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent is as follows:

1. In a talking machine, a rotatable table or record support formed ofcompact porous material and having a smooth hard record-supportingsurface, substantially as described.

2i In a talking machine, a rotatable table or record ysupport having anon-porous annular portion and a portion formed of compact porousmaterial and having a smooth hard record supporting surface,substantially as described.

3. In a talking machine, a rotatable table having a hard smooth surfaceada ted to support a disk sound record, the sald table having anon-porous portion positioned to be contacted by the rim of the recordand a portion formed of compact porous material positioned to becontacted by that portion of the record the opposite side of which bearsthe sound record grooves, substantially as described.

4. In a talking machine, a rotatable table having a hard smooth surfaceadapted to support a disk sound record, the said table having anon-porous portion positioned to be contacted by the rim of the record,a non-porous portion adjacent the center thereof and a portion formed ofcompact porous material between said non-porous portions, substantiallyas described.

5. In a talking machine, in combination, a rotatable table having asurface portion formed of compact porous material adapted to support asound record, and means for h olding a record upon saidv surface bysuct1on, substantially as described.

6. In a talking machine, in combination, a rotatable-table or supporthaving a hard smooth surface portion of compact porous material adaptedto support a disk sound record, and means movable at will to cause sucha record to be secured in uniform engagement with said surface or to bereleased therefrom, substantially as described.

7. In a talking machine, in combination, a table or support formed ofcompact por ous material and having a smooth hard surface adapted tosupport and form a backing for a thm flat sound record or blank, andmeans for exhausting the air from the pores of said porous material andholding the record or blank on the supportin surface by suction,substantially as descri ed 8. In a talking machine, in combination, atable or support formed of compact porous material and having a smoothhard surface adapted to support and forma backing for a thin fiat soundrecord or blank, and a movable member below said support adapted to bemoved to exhaust the air from f the pores of the record supportingmember and create a partial vacuum beneath the record on said support,substantially as described.

9. In a talking machine, in combination, a table or support having asurface portion formed of compact porous material and adapted to supportand form a backing for a thin fiat sound record or blank, and means forholding such a record in uniform engagement with said surface during themak ing of the record or reproduction thereof, by producing a uniformdifference in pressure between the two sides of the record, the pressureupon the under side of the record being the less, substantially asdcscribed.

10. -In a talking machine, in combination, a table or sup ort having asmooth hard surface adapte to support and form a backing for a thin fiatsound record or blank, said table being formed of a compact porousmaterial beneath the record surface of the record, means for exhaustingthe air from the pores of said material, and means forming an air tightjoint around said porous portion of the table, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a talking machine, the combination with a table comprising aporous portion having a smooth hard surface adapted to support and forma backing'for a thin flat sound record or blank, and a non-porousportion supporting and partly inclosing said porous portion and having apart spaced from said last named portion, of means for exhausting theair from said porous portion and from the space between the same andsaid non-porous portion, substantially as described. ,4

` 12. In a talking machine, the combination with a table comprising aporous portion having a smooth hard surface ada ted to support and forma backing for a t in Hat sound record or blank, and a non-porous portionsupporting and partly inclosing said porous portion and having a partspaced from said last named portion, of a plun er mounted to reciprocatebeneath said ta le to exhaust the air from said porous portion and fromthe space between the same and said non-porous portion, substantially asdescribed.

13. In a talking machine, the combination with a table comprising aporous portion having a smooth hard surface ada ted to support and forma backing for a t in fiat sound record or blank, and a non-porousportion supporting and partly inclosing said porous portion' and havinga part spaced from said last named port-ion, said non-porous portionbeing adapted to closely contact the rim of a record supported on saidcrous portion, of means for exhausting t e air from said porous portionand from t-he space between the same and said non-porous portion,substantially as described.

14. In a talking machine, in combination a table or support having asmooth hard surface adapted to support and form a backing for a thinflat sound record or blank, said table being formed of aporous materialbeneath the record surface of the record, and having a ring ofnon-porous material around the same to form an air-tight joint, and anon-porous portion beneath said orous material and connected with saidring, and a reciprocable plunger extending through the center of saidtable and adapted to extend through the central aperture of a recordplaced thereon and adapted to be reciprocated away from the bottom ofsaid table to exhaust the air between said plunger and record,substantially as described.

15. In a talking'machine, in combination,

` pores of said porous material and holding the record or blank on thesupporting surface by suction, substantially as described.

16. In a talking machine, in combination,

` a rotatable support having a surface portion formed of porous materialadapted to support and form a backing Jfor a thin vsound record orblank, and means comprising a manually operable member rotatable withsaid support for exhausting the air from the pores of the porousmaterial and creating a partial vacuum beneath the record on saidsupport, substantially as described.

17. In a talking machine, in combination, a rotatable support having asurface portion formed of porous material adapted to support and form abacking for a thin sound record or blank, means comprising a manuallyoperable member rotatable with said support for exhausting the air fromthe pores of the porousI material and creating a partial vacuum beneaththe record on said support, and means for holding said member in a givenposition, substantially as described.

18. In a talking machine, in combination, a rotatable support having asurface portion formed of poro-us material adapted to support and form abacking for a thin sound record or blank, means comprising a manuallyoperable member rotatable with said support for exhausting the air from'the pores of the porous material and creating a partial vacuum beneaththe record on said support, land means for holding said member inposition to maintain said partial vacuum, substantially as described.

This 'specification signed and witnessed this 2d day of February `1910.

JONAS W. AYLSWORTH.

Witnesses:

DYER SMITH, ANNA R. KLEHM.

